NHS Waiting Time Rights Checker UK 2025 — 18-Week RTT, Choices & Complaints
NHS patients in England have a legal right to start consultant-led treatment within 18 weeks of referral. If you have been waiting longer, you have rights — including the right to be treated at a different NHS provider. You can also choose where you are referred and, for suspected cancer, should be seen within 2 weeks. This guide explains your rights and what to do if they are breached.
NHS Constitution (England): 18-week RTT right; choice of provider at referral; 2-week urgent cancer referral standard. PALS: free advice at every NHS hospital. Formal NHS complaint: respond within 25 working days. Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman: escalation if local resolution fails. Scotland (18-week Treatment Time Guarantee), Wales (26-week), NI (own standards apply).
NHS Waiting Time Standards in England
| Standard | Target | Your right |
|---|---|---|
| Referral to Treatment (RTT) | 18 weeks | Legal right to start treatment within 18 weeks of referral |
| Urgent cancer referral | 14 days to be seen; 62 days to start treatment | Right to see specialist within 14 days of urgent GP referral |
| Faster Diagnosis (cancer) | 28 days | Know whether you have cancer within 28 days of referral |
| Urgent mental health crisis | 4 hours (crisis assessment) | Right to assessment within 4 hours of urgent referral |
| IAPT (talking therapies) | 6 weeks to start low intensity; 18 weeks high intensity | Standard target (not a legal right in same sense as RTT) |
How to Use the NHS Choices Right
When your GP refers you for a specialist appointment, you have the right to choose any clinically appropriate provider on the NHS e-Referral Service. You are not limited to your local hospital. To use this right effectively:
- Ask your GP to use the NHS e-Referral Service (not a direct referral that bypasses choice)
- Log in to the e-Referral Service at: e-referral.nhs.uk with your NHS login
- You can see waiting times at different hospitals for the same treatment
- Choose a hospital with a shorter wait — this is your right and your GP cannot refuse
- You can change your provider even after the initial referral if you have not yet had your first appointment
Making an NHS Complaint
If your rights are being breached, escalate through these steps:
- PALS (Patient Advice and Liaison Service) — informal resolution; at every NHS hospital; free advice on your options including using choice to go elsewhere.
- Formal complaint to the provider — the hospital or GP practice must acknowledge within 3 working days and respond within 25 working days (40 for complex cases). You can complain on behalf of someone else with their consent.
- NHS England / Integrated Care Board — for serious systemic issues or if the provider fails to resolve your complaint.
- Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) — final escalation if local resolution fails. Free. Can require apology, explanation, or service improvements (not financial compensation for waiting times alone).
Frequently Asked Questions
A breach of the 18-week RTT standard alone does not give rise to compensation. However, if the delay caused your condition to significantly worsen and you suffered harm as a result, you may have a medical negligence claim. This requires expert medical evidence showing that the delay caused harm beyond what would have occurred with timely treatment. The clinical negligence limitation period is 3 years from the date you knew (or ought to have known) that the delay caused your harm.
You can request a second opinion from another GP within the same practice, or request a referral to a different GP practice. You can also see a private GP for a referral letter (typically £100–200) and self-refer to a private specialist, though this is at your own cost. If you believe your GP is unreasonably withholding a referral, make a formal complaint to the practice and, if unresolved, to the ICB (Integrated Care Board) or NHS England. For mental health, many IAPT services accept self-referrals without a GP letter.